Posted On: 03-18-2020
Now more than ever as coaches we/you need to communicate
with our youth shooting teams. Take this
opportunity to set into action some activities and off-range ways to help
out. I start this with exercise. While we are caught indoors or effectively
near home, we still need to maintain sleep schedules and exercise
routines. I direct this specifically at
the shooting sports so consider the following:
- Gun mounts – have each team member while at home
raise and mount their guns 100 times each day.
Make sure this is a conscious effort to include the pre-shot routine
(worth now thinking through and ore on this later) and as these mounts start to
add up ask those shooters to share their thoughts on getting tired. I see this as one part of this sport we often
overlook. Great to shoot 25, but when we
get to 50, 75 and 100 especially when we have to run them back-to-back we get
tired. That of course impacts our
routine and our ability to repeat our gun mount the same way every time. Have them share on a local website
(Facebook) their reactions to this exercise with you and when do they start to:
- Notice they are slowing down
- Notice the barrel dropping slightly
- Inability to be consistent
- Cheek fails to meet the stock
- Follow the ceiling – Yes we know this exercise
well but most just don’t do it. Set a
goal that each shooter will mount and follow the intersection of the wall and
ceiling back and forth 100 times. While
we mounted guns in the first exercise now we have to sustain that mount for a
period of time – good exercise. Ask them
to share:
- When they started losing the ability to follow (minutes)
I have added the word boredom because these exercises are
not going to increase dopamine levels like a text message. They will get bored with exercising unless
you can get feedback and you can provide feedback. Motivation is so important and without it
they will quit doing these exercises.
Make a competition of this by including parents to count and
watch. Let then certify the effort and
provide something to those that meet 10,000 mounts or 1,000 minutes of
following the wall. Set a goal and
praise, complement and reward those that accomplish these goals.
- Focus
– last one is have them spend a few minutes in deep thought. No cell phone, no interruptions, and no
distractions. Use this breathing method called
the 4-7-8
breathing technique, also known as “relaxing breath,” that involves breathing
in for 4 seconds, holding the breath for 7 seconds, and
exhaling for 8 seconds. This breathing pattern aims to reduce
anxiety or help people get to sleep. Some proponents claim that the method
helps people get to sleep in 1 minute.
Learning this and knowing this will improve their stress levels, lower
anxiety and allow them to focus.
Practice make perfect.
Next time I will talk about breathing methods.
David R. Vaught, Ph.D.
Executive Director